How the King (Mahmúd) revealed to the Amírs and those who were intriguing against Ayáz the reason of his superiority to them in rank and favour and salary, (explaining it) in such a manner that no argument or objection was left for them (to bring forward).

چون امیران از حسد جوشان شدند ** عاقبت بر شاه خود طعنه زدند 385

When the Amírs boiled over with envy (of Ayáz), at last they taunted their King,

کین ایاز تو ندارد سی خرد ** جامگی سی امیر او چون خورد

Saying, “This Ayáz of thine has not thirty intellects: how should he consume the salary of thirty Amírs?”

شاه بیرون رفت با آن سی امیر ** سوی صحرا و کهستان صیدگیر

The King, accompanied by the thirty Amírs, went out to hunt in the desert and mountain-land.

کاروانی دید از دور آن ملک ** گفت امیری را برو ای متفک

The monarch descried a caravan in the distance: he said to an Amír, “Go, man of weak judgement,

رو بپرس آن کاروان را بر رصد ** کز کدامین شهر اندر می‌رسد

Go and ask that caravan at the custom-house from what city they are arriving.”

رفت و پرسید و بیامد که ز ری ** گفت عزمش تا کجا درماند وی 390

He went and asked and returned, saying, “From Rayy.” “Whither bound?” asked the King. He (the Amír) was unable (to reply).

دیگری را گفت رو ای بوالعلا ** باز پرس از کاروان که تا کجا

(Then) he said to another (Amír), “Go, noble lord, and ask whither the caravan is bound.”

رفت و آمد گفت تا سوی یمن ** گفت رختش چیست هان ای موتمن

He went and returned and said, “For Yemen.” “Ha,” said the King, “what is their merchandise, O trusty one?”

ماند حیران گفت با میری دگر ** که برو وا پرس رخت آن نفر

He (the Amír) remained (silent) in perplexity. (Then) the King said to another Amír, “Go and inquire (what is) the merchandise of those people.”

باز آمد گفت از هر جنس هست ** اغلب آن کاسه‌های رازیست

He came back and said, “It is of every sort; the greater part consists of cups made in Rayy.”

گفت کی بیرون شدند از شهر ری ** ماند حیران آن امیر سست پی 395

He (the King) asked, “When did they set out from the city of Rayy?” The dull-witted Amír remained (silent) in perplexity.

هم‌چنین تا سی امیر و بیشتر ** سست‌رای و ناقص اندر کر و فر

So (it went on) till thirty Amírs and more (had been tested): (all were) feeble in judgement and deficient in (mental) power.

گفت امیران را که من روزی جدا ** امتحان کردم ایاز خویش را

(Then) he said to the Amírs, “One day I put my Ayáz to the test separately,

که بپرس از کاروان تا از کجاست ** او برفت این جمله وا پرسید راست

Saying, ‘Inquire of the caravan (and find out) whence it comes.’ He went and asked all these questions (just) right.

بی‌وصیت بی‌اشارت یک به یک ** حالشان دریافت بی ریبی و شک

Without instructions, without a hint (from me), he apprehended everything concerning them, point by point, without any uncertainty or doubt.”

هر چه زین سی میر اندر سی مقام ** کشف شد زو آن به یکدم شد تمام 400

Everything that was discovered by these thirty Amírs in thirty stages was completed by him (Ayáz) in one moment.

مدافعه‌ی امرا آن حجت را به شبهه‌ی جبریانه و جواب دادن شاه ایشان را

How the Amírs endeavoured to rebut that argument by the Necessitarian error and how the King answered them.

پس بگفتند آن امیران کین فنیست ** از عنایتهاش کار جهد نیست

Then the Amírs said, “This is a branch (species) of His (God's) providential favours: it has nothing to do with (personal) effort.

قسمت حقست مه را روی نغز ** داده‌ی بختست گل را بوی نغز

The fair face of the moon is bestowed on it by God, the sweet scent of the rose is the gift of Fortune.”

گفت سلطان بلک آنچ از نفس زاد ** ریع تقصیرست و دخل اجتهاد

“Nay,” said the Sultan, “that which proceeds from one's self is the product of (one's own) remissness and the income derived from (one's own) labour.

ورنه آدم کی بگفتی با خدا ** ربنا انا ظلمنا نفسنا

Otherwise, how should Adam have said unto God, ‘O our Lord, verily we have wronged ourselves’?

خود بگفتی کین گناه از نفس بود ** چون قضا این بود حزم ما چه سود 405

Surely he would have said, ‘This sin was from Fate: since it was destiny, what does our precaution avail?’